Kratom BLOG

Millennium Laboratories, the leading research-based clinical diagnostic company dedicated to improving the lives of people suffering from pain and/or addiction, announced late last month the introduction of a new urine drug test for Kratom detection.

Unlike bath salts and synthetic marijuana, Kratom may still be a little obscure, but many addiction specialists in the United States are already aware of the dangerous effects of the substance. Though not a federally scheduled compound, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration considers Kratom a drug of concern, as documented use and abuse of the plant is growing in the country.

The drug is made from the Kratom plant, a tropical tree indigenous to Thailand, Malaysia, other Southeast Asia countries. It comes in a packaging that's similar to synthetic marijuana, and young people are purchasing them from local tobacco shops and the Internet. Experts say it can be more addictive and dangerous than other illegal drugs.

"Kratom, as well as emerging illegal substances such as bath salts and spice, which were recently added to our test menu, pose a major challenge for clinicians and addiction treatment centers," said Howard Appel, President of Millennium Laboratories, in a press release. "Our company will continue to be at the forefront among laboratories in offering new testing of illicit substances and dangerous legal consumables, such as Kratom."

The new Kratom drug test uses Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technology to detect the presence of the major active alkaloids found in the Kratom leaf. LC-MS/MS technology is highly sensitive and specific, providing a quantitative identification that is unaffected by other drugs or dietary supplements.